I've been gaining weight...mostly from eating too much good food (aka baked sweets). I can't help it...dessert is so good!!!

So I finally decided to bake an Angel Food Cake. No fat! Yay! Hopefully I won't be gaining anymore pounds. =]

I didn't have time to snap a photo of the cake I made....but it turned out super beautiful. Tall and so airy! I used a tube pan (angel cake pan) that was 4 inches in height...the cake was sooo tall I wish I had a 5 in or 6 in one instead! It didn't have enough height to climb, but don't worry, it did not fall over. I borrowed this photo from Pennies on a Platter, but used a different recipe!

Recipe:

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cake flour, sifted

12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)

1/3 cup warm water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.

In a stand mixer bowl, combine egg whites, water, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar. Using the whisk head, mix until foamy on medium. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. LET ME REPEAT! UNGREASED! It can't climb if it's greased! Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).

Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

I've been so busy in the past 2 months that I haven't baked that much. I just moved to a new place, and am still unpacking boxes at the new place. I've managed to finally bake something new this weekend!

Chocolate almond logs - yum. They are kinda like macarons (which I hate making fyi), since it uses lots of almond powder...but these won't crack on you. =] They are crunchy on the outside, and a lil chewy inside. I liked them, give it a try if you are an almond lover!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites

1 cup of super fine sugar

1 3/4 cups of almond powder

1/2 tsp almond extract

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in sugar, almond powder, and almond extract.